Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood are bringing their comedic act back to Stratford.

The improv-comedy duo will be performing their show Scared Scriptless on the first Saturday of the New Year. Ron Dodson, co-chairperson of the show along with Chris Leberg, said they were trying to organize a unique event that would benefit the city’s downtown core.

“(It) would be unlike anything that our member organizations are involved with such as concerts or exhibitions, things like that,” he said.

The event hits the Avon Theatre stage at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 5. It’s a fundraiser for the Stratford Arts and Culture Collective, a registered non-profit organization comprised of 30 local groups that is currently seeking charitable status.

The laughter-inducing pair was last in Stratford three years ago.

“He and Brad had a great show in 2014 and 2015 and we decided to go with them,” Dodson said.

They are currently touring internationally – this month alone they will be performing in New Zealand, Australia and the U.K., according to the collective.

“It was a bit difficult (to schedule them), and trying to find a date that would be available for the Stratford Festival’s Avon Theatre, but it all worked out so we’re really happy with it,” Dodson said.

Mochrie, who turns 61 later this month, is a Canadian comedian who garnered fame for his performances on the improv-based show Whose Line Is It Anyway? Sherwood – he turns 54 this month – is an American performer who broke through on the British version of the show.

Their 90-minute show “takes the audience into the off-balanced brains of Colin and Brad,” according to the collective. It will be filled with never-before-seen scenes and songs, with unexpected twists. Some audience members may even end up on stage.

The collective is hoping patrons will explore the city that night.

“We would really encourage people to reserve at their favourite restaurant downtown, have a drink, have dinner, then come over to the theatre and have a good time,” Dodson said. “January tends to be a less-busy month for the downtown merchants and we thought this is a natural fit. The arts and culture centre that we’re proposing is going to be a benefit to the downtown core and we want that benefit to start now.”

Funds raised from the event will be earmarked for a feasibility study for the centre the collective has been working on for the last two years. The study is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.